Lance Corporal Robert Fisher, aged 39, from Chorley, who is serving with 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment in Shahzad, ran around the base twenty-six times. He said:

I’ve always wanted to run a marathon carrying a GPMG while wearing body armour. I thought it would be something different.

It took Lance Corporal Fisher just over seven hours to complete the gruelling run:

It was one of the hardest things I’ve done,” he admitted. “The marathons I’ve done in the past carrying weight have been tough, but this was a lot harder. I was hoping to do it in under six hours, but I started cramping up around the nineteen-mile [31km] point.

For the last six miles [10km], it was mind over matter. For me, it’s worth the pain, it’s worth the fatigue. I’ve raised over £1,200 for two charities.

The money will be split between the Afghanistan Trust and the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children):

I try to do a marathon every year for charity,” he said. “I try to put my fitness to good use.